I think Apple deserves some credit for Apple Arcade

Most of you have probably heard/read the news about Apple's new subscription service Apple Arcade. You pay 4.99$ per month (which is surprisingly low for Apple) and get a growing list of high-quality exclusive games (currently 71). All the news outlets wrote about it. But I feel what is barely talked about is the fact that all these games are free of in-app-purchases (microtransactions) and lootboxes/gambling.

In a world where so many mobile games rely on a free-to-play model with microtransactions and many PC games have taken that exact same path (best recent example would be NBA 2K20), it is honestly refreshing to see something like that. Microtransactions inevitably lead to changes in game design to get the players to pay money, we all know that. You could argue that because of that they are objectively worse than traditional games, since if they alter what originally during the development process was thought to be the optimal design, any changes can only lead to equal or worse design.

So, I know that many people have a problem with Apple products (and in some cases I absolutely agree, like for instance the price). But in this case I think we should applaud them for delivering a service that completely eliminates all those shady mechanics that have invaded most of the gaming landscape over the last years. It's about the games themselves again, as it should always be. In Apple Arcade you won't find abominations like Dungeon Keeper Mobile. You won't buy any diamonds, emeralds, gold or lootboxes for absurd amounts of money. Those games don't try to trick you into paying money, they just try to be good games. And I really think this deserves some praise. I am always suspicious when it comes to subscription models. But this just looks right to me.